grandee:
1. A man of elevated rank or station.
A new study shows that taller people are smarter. And not only are they smarter, they make more money. According to the study, "For both men and women in the United States and the United Kingdom, a height advantage of four inches equated with a 10 percent increase in wages on average."
Average height for women is 5'4". I find this study intriguing because it doesn't seem possible that height could have anything to do with your financial success, unless there was a trend of employers choosing to hire taller people because they appear more responsible and/or capable. However, that doesn't seem to be the case, because the study shows that the advantage begins early in childhood when height isn't necessarily a factor. Even before schooling begins, researchers were able to determine that children who grew up to be taller than average had higher than average test scores pre-school age. Now that's interesting.
Tuesday, August 29, 2006
Thursday, August 24, 2006
Word of the Day: Pluto
As Michelle eloquently put it: Poor Pluto.
All this time, we've been referencing Pluto as the planet farthest from the sun, little cute Pluto out there, holding it all together. But no. Now we learn that Pluto can't even follow the rules. In order to be considered a plant, each must keep an orbit that doesn't disturb it's neighbors, and apparently Pluto has been encroaching on Neptune for quite some time now. It's oblong rotation around the sun, which my coworker pointed out today takes
The funny part is that there is a faction of astronomers in Prague discussing the issue at this very moment and they can't seem to get along.
And this leads me to speculate that we really don't know a darn thing about the solar system or the universe. We could be orbitting inside some alien's aquarium in a whole different dimension than we think, and amount to microscopic atomic waste for all we know. Clearly enough to show that our brains are infinitesimal.
All this time, we've been referencing Pluto as the planet farthest from the sun, little cute Pluto out there, holding it all together. But no. Now we learn that Pluto can't even follow the rules. In order to be considered a plant, each must keep an orbit that doesn't disturb it's neighbors, and apparently Pluto has been encroaching on Neptune for quite some time now. It's oblong rotation around the sun, which my coworker pointed out today takes
The funny part is that there is a faction of astronomers in Prague discussing the issue at this very moment and they can't seem to get along.
That plan proved highly unpopular, dividing the group into factions and triggering an acrimonious debate full of angry denunciations that ultimately sunk Pluto.Can't you just imagine a bunch of hyper scientists fighting tooth and nail to keep Pluto? Just today they decided to no longer consider any of Pluto's three moons for special status -- so now even they've been downgraded and are no longer "moons".
And this leads me to speculate that we really don't know a darn thing about the solar system or the universe. We could be orbitting inside some alien's aquarium in a whole different dimension than we think, and amount to microscopic atomic waste for all we know. Clearly enough to show that our brains are infinitesimal.
Friday, August 18, 2006
Word of the Day: Languor
languor \LANG-guhr; LANG-uhr\, noun:
1. Mental or physical weariness or fatigue.
2. Listless indolence
3. A heaviness or oppressive stillness of the air.
Today's word is highly appropriate. Being a federal employee (if only in appearance) I am one of those poor slobs who has no work for the entire month of August while everyone of importance jets off to the beach or other places of interest (insert Laura's mental wish: Greece, Prague, Ireland). Us low-on-the-totum-pole people stick it out in August because one day we hope to be the jetsetter. That makes for one really long and boring month.
I am trying to be positive though, and so I'm attempting to view the time with optimism instead of last year's pessimism. So here is a short list of the things I was able to do thanks to everyone being on vacation. The day's not over yet, so if the list drags on it's probably because this is the only thing I have to do.
1. I am now a certified expert in the Jon Benet case.
2. I know the minute details regarding every conflict occuring in Israel between AD 120 and the present.
3. Yemen has one of the world's highest birth rates; the average Yemeni woman (life expectancy 59 years) bears seven children.
4. I've read fifteen Washington Post chats this week, including Gene, Dining Out, Real Estate Live, Life at Work, Metro, JonBenet Murder Case (duh!), Tell Me About It, Weekend Now and Travel -- I'll stop there. The rest were boring.
5. Researched travel to Greece and realized I won't be going anywhere soon unless the airlines get nice and slash their prices in half.
6. Did one full lap around CVS and bought a Caramelo to share with co-workers who are equally as sunlight deprived.
7. Watched people run on the mall while pretending I was a tourist on a bench near the National Space Museum.
8. Zzzzzzz
1. Mental or physical weariness or fatigue.
2. Listless indolence
3. A heaviness or oppressive stillness of the air.
Today's word is highly appropriate. Being a federal employee (if only in appearance) I am one of those poor slobs who has no work for the entire month of August while everyone of importance jets off to the beach or other places of interest (insert Laura's mental wish: Greece, Prague, Ireland). Us low-on-the-totum-pole people stick it out in August because one day we hope to be the jetsetter. That makes for one really long and boring month.
I am trying to be positive though, and so I'm attempting to view the time with optimism instead of last year's pessimism. So here is a short list of the things I was able to do thanks to everyone being on vacation. The day's not over yet, so if the list drags on it's probably because this is the only thing I have to do.
1. I am now a certified expert in the Jon Benet case.
2. I know the minute details regarding every conflict occuring in Israel between AD 120 and the present.
3. Yemen has one of the world's highest birth rates; the average Yemeni woman (life expectancy 59 years) bears seven children.
4. I've read fifteen Washington Post chats this week, including Gene, Dining Out, Real Estate Live, Life at Work, Metro, JonBenet Murder Case (duh!), Tell Me About It, Weekend Now and Travel -- I'll stop there. The rest were boring.
5. Researched travel to Greece and realized I won't be going anywhere soon unless the airlines get nice and slash their prices in half.
6. Did one full lap around CVS and bought a Caramelo to share with co-workers who are equally as sunlight deprived.
7. Watched people run on the mall while pretending I was a tourist on a bench near the National Space Museum.
8. Zzzzzzz
Tuesday, August 15, 2006
Word of the Day: Befitting
be·fit·ting
Appropriate; suitable; proper.
A few weeks ago I bought a new computer after a long and arduous battle with my old machine, replete with beeping and clicking and system 32 folders that refused to give in to logic. I finally had to let it go the way of all antiquated electronic devices and find a suitable replacement. Which I did, after many months of research. And it arrived last week.
And it was a Dell with not one, but TWO Sony batteries that now, according to news reports, may cause a spontaneous fire in my apartment. Fire Hazard Causes Dell To Recall Laptop Batteries. It appears to be spontaneous combustion, even, not having directly to do with running the computer until it overheats, as one would imagine.
One more thing before I go -- I was reading the Washington Post today (i.e. EVERY SINGLE LINE in my infinite boredom) and found this article which is amusing, at the least, about how 50 Israeli couples were treated to one big mass free wedding yesterday because they had to call off their weddings during the "war". Seriously. 50 brides in one room.
Appropriate; suitable; proper.
A few weeks ago I bought a new computer after a long and arduous battle with my old machine, replete with beeping and clicking and system 32 folders that refused to give in to logic. I finally had to let it go the way of all antiquated electronic devices and find a suitable replacement. Which I did, after many months of research. And it arrived last week.
And it was a Dell with not one, but TWO Sony batteries that now, according to news reports, may cause a spontaneous fire in my apartment. Fire Hazard Causes Dell To Recall Laptop Batteries. It appears to be spontaneous combustion, even, not having directly to do with running the computer until it overheats, as one would imagine.
The National Transportation Safety Board last month held a hearing about the safety of lithium batteries on airplanes after a fire occurred Feb. 7 on a cargo jet. The UPS plane, which was carrying lithium-ion batteries, among other items, caught fire in flight and landed safely in Philadelphia.But don't worry, "Sony said there have been only "a small number" of fires linked to lithium-ion batteries." Good thing, I was starting to get worried.
One more thing before I go -- I was reading the Washington Post today (i.e. EVERY SINGLE LINE in my infinite boredom) and found this article which is amusing, at the least, about how 50 Israeli couples were treated to one big mass free wedding yesterday because they had to call off their weddings during the "war". Seriously. 50 brides in one room.
Each couple was allowed 100 guests. But with wedding-crashers, press and other interlopers there were at least 6,000 people, organizers said. The 50 couples were chosen from more than 300 applicants after the war interrupted the busy summer wedding season.
Friday, August 11, 2006
Word of the Day: Deduction
de·duc·tion n.
The act of deducting; subtraction.
The drawing of a conclusion by reasoning; the act of deducing.
The process of reasoning in which a conclusion follows necessarily from the stated premises; inference by reasoning from the general to the specific.
A conclusion reached by this process.
I opened up my web stats today for my blog as I do every friday to see who's been looking at my blog (or at least to speculate on who has been on my blog). On any given week, somewhere around 120 people view my blog. I can usually tell the main suspects based on location, and that's about all the more indepth the stats go. However, this week I was shocked to see that my numbers have gone up to over 200. That's not an exaggerated leap, I know, but my numbers are always very consistent. So what brought about this change? Was it something profound I might have said? Was it that I'm so witty that word of mouth has spread the good name of my blog all the way to Argentina and Yemen? The frequent Springdale, Arkansas, and College Place, Washington, were still as prevalent, but what's with all the Ohios and Kentuckys and Icelands?
So I clicked on the search terms that led these poor unknowing, and clearly lost, internet surfers to my blog. I should have just gone on thinking that I was prolific. Nope. There's a definite reason.
You thought it was going to be the lottery didn't you?
Wrong.
It was Ricki Ticki Tavi. I'm not kidding. At least a quarter of the hits came from searches for some combination of the phrase Ricki Ticki Tavi. And I blogged about that at least a month ago.
The act of deducting; subtraction.
The drawing of a conclusion by reasoning; the act of deducing.
The process of reasoning in which a conclusion follows necessarily from the stated premises; inference by reasoning from the general to the specific.
A conclusion reached by this process.
I opened up my web stats today for my blog as I do every friday to see who's been looking at my blog (or at least to speculate on who has been on my blog). On any given week, somewhere around 120 people view my blog. I can usually tell the main suspects based on location, and that's about all the more indepth the stats go. However, this week I was shocked to see that my numbers have gone up to over 200. That's not an exaggerated leap, I know, but my numbers are always very consistent. So what brought about this change? Was it something profound I might have said? Was it that I'm so witty that word of mouth has spread the good name of my blog all the way to Argentina and Yemen? The frequent Springdale, Arkansas, and College Place, Washington, were still as prevalent, but what's with all the Ohios and Kentuckys and Icelands?
So I clicked on the search terms that led these poor unknowing, and clearly lost, internet surfers to my blog. I should have just gone on thinking that I was prolific. Nope. There's a definite reason.
You thought it was going to be the lottery didn't you?
Wrong.
It was Ricki Ticki Tavi. I'm not kidding. At least a quarter of the hits came from searches for some combination of the phrase Ricki Ticki Tavi. And I blogged about that at least a month ago.
Sunday, August 06, 2006
Word of the Day: Sough
sough \SAU; SUHF\, intransitive verb:
1. To make a soft, low sighing or rustling sound, as the wind.
Did you hear that sough? That was me losing the lottery. I tried to win. I bought my $1 worth of tickets and waited anxiously, all the while determining what I would do with my winnings. And when the numbers were revealed, I was highly disappointed to learn that I'd lost.
Why do we spend money on seemingly useless endeavors like playing the lottery? As one winner said, "If you don't play, you can't win". That's true enough. But just how lucky do you have to be to win? A player who wants to win ten dollars in the Tic Tac Toe scratch-off game would have to spend an average of $112. To put these odds in context, suppose one buys one lottery ticket per week. 13,983,816 weeks is roughly 269,000 years; In the quarter-million years of play, one would only expect to win the jackpot once. Luckily, I only spent a dollar.
I buy tickets very infrequently, and usually only after the jackpot has hit a number greatly exceeding anything anyone could ever hope to frivolously spend in a lifetime or two. I do it for the momentary hope that I would not have to return to work the next day or for the rest of my life and could instead travel the world on a private jet. Sure the hope only lasts for as long as it takes them to pick the losing numbers, but isn't it worth one measely dollar? I think so.
1. To make a soft, low sighing or rustling sound, as the wind.
Did you hear that sough? That was me losing the lottery. I tried to win. I bought my $1 worth of tickets and waited anxiously, all the while determining what I would do with my winnings. And when the numbers were revealed, I was highly disappointed to learn that I'd lost.
Why do we spend money on seemingly useless endeavors like playing the lottery? As one winner said, "If you don't play, you can't win". That's true enough. But just how lucky do you have to be to win? A player who wants to win ten dollars in the Tic Tac Toe scratch-off game would have to spend an average of $112. To put these odds in context, suppose one buys one lottery ticket per week. 13,983,816 weeks is roughly 269,000 years; In the quarter-million years of play, one would only expect to win the jackpot once. Luckily, I only spent a dollar.
I buy tickets very infrequently, and usually only after the jackpot has hit a number greatly exceeding anything anyone could ever hope to frivolously spend in a lifetime or two. I do it for the momentary hope that I would not have to return to work the next day or for the rest of my life and could instead travel the world on a private jet. Sure the hope only lasts for as long as it takes them to pick the losing numbers, but isn't it worth one measely dollar? I think so.
Tuesday, August 01, 2006
Photos from Oregon
Here are the photos of my Oregon trip that I promised yesterday. I have a ton and it was really hard to choose just five. But here is a walking-tour through the state you'll never visit:
First, just try to tell me this isn't the most gorgeous, pristine beach you've ever seen?
The first thing I did when I got there was go to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. I love going here because they make squeaky cheese. I knicknamed it that because it actually squeaks on your teeth when you chew it. They also make my favorite ice cream of all times "Oregon Strawberry". Not usually a fan of strawberry, but this is the best ice cream you've ever tasted.
One thing about the west coast, you don't go playing in the water like you would on the east coast. The water is literally frigid. It was 45.7 degrees the day we went in it. Every so often, my sister and I get daring and we get in, slowly going numb, until we can stand to let the waves wash over us. We're insane.
And finally -- if you weren't convinced of its beauty to this point, you must concede this is the most amazing beach photo you've ever seen.
First, just try to tell me this isn't the most gorgeous, pristine beach you've ever seen?
The first thing I did when I got there was go to the Tillamook Cheese Factory. I love going here because they make squeaky cheese. I knicknamed it that because it actually squeaks on your teeth when you chew it. They also make my favorite ice cream of all times "Oregon Strawberry". Not usually a fan of strawberry, but this is the best ice cream you've ever tasted.
One thing about the west coast, you don't go playing in the water like you would on the east coast. The water is literally frigid. It was 45.7 degrees the day we went in it. Every so often, my sister and I get daring and we get in, slowly going numb, until we can stand to let the waves wash over us. We're insane.
And finally -- if you weren't convinced of its beauty to this point, you must concede this is the most amazing beach photo you've ever seen.
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